


Allegiance

by Halmaithor



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: (he's okay tho), Major Character Injury, Multi, Parabatai, Post-Canon, Prince of Hell Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23191864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halmaithor/pseuds/Halmaithor
Summary: Alec's eyes flick around the alley – they’re half-surrounded and wholly outnumbered. The demons keep their distance, as if assessing him in return, deciding on a plan of attack. One gives a growl, and he snaps, ‘Getback,’a little desperately.The demons all retreat a little.With Jace still grieving Clary's banishment, Alec backs him up on a mission, and accidentally discovers something interesting about the power structures of Hell. Something very close to home.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 17
Kudos: 276
Collections: Shadowhunters Fic-A-Thon 2020





	Allegiance

Alec whirls around to take a shot at the demon he can hear creeping up on him, and by the time he looks back towards Jace, there are yet more crawling out of the shadows. He curses loudly – they weren’t even supposed to be _on_ this patrol, but Jace was going a little stir-crazy with grief today and had requested a transfer. And until he knew his parabatai was one-hundred percent again, Alec was going to watch his back.

Or try to, anyway. It’s made a lot more difficult when a demon jumps him from above, knocking him to the ground. He looks up into a snarling, shapeless maw, instinctively lashing out with what’s in his hand. The arrow sinks into the demon’s eye, and it falls away, howling.

Half a second later, another voice echoes it, and Alec’s stomach drops as panic flares through the parabatai bond. ‘Jace!’

He bolts down the alley, drawing his blade, cutting down the demons that have descended on his brother. ‘No,’ he snarls, decapitating another that makes a run at them, before drawing his bow again and planting himself between an unconscious Jace and the remaining threat.  
His eyes flick around the alley – they’re half-surrounded and wholly outnumbered. The demons keep their distance, as if assessing him in return, deciding on a plan of attack. One gives a growl, and he snaps, ‘Get _back,’_ a little desperately.

The demons all retreat a little.

Alec’s mind whirrs, disbelieving. ‘Further,’ he says; and it _works,_ they all take another step back.

He hasn’t got time to think about what’s happening or why, just presses this incredible advantage while he apparently can. ‘Go,’ he says, feeling his voice slip into something more commanding. ‘Leave this plane. Never come back.’

There’s the ripple of a few bared fangs in front of him – but then the demons slink back into the shadows, and Alec lets himself breathe again.

Once they’re alone in the alley, he turns to Jace; kneeling by his side, drawing an iratze rune, and taking his vitals. ‘Jace,’ he calls, patting his face. ‘Jace, come on.’  
Jace doesn’t stir, but Alec knows what it feels like when his parabatai is seriously hurt, and this isn’t it. He exhales loudly. ‘Fine, you’re gonna make me do all the work?’ He hoists his brother up in a fireman’s carry, checking they’re properly glamored before beginning the long trudge back to the Institute. ‘You’re not allowed a say in your own scheduling anymore,’ he grumbles. ‘Also, you owe me. Big time.’

Jace doesn’t answer. Alec swallows down his worry, pushes aside his bewilderment at what even _happened_ this evening, and focuses on getting them the hell out of there.  
  


***

  
A few hours later in the infirmary, Jace finally opens his eyes.

‘Wha’ happen’d?’ he mumbles.  
Alec straightens up in his chair and blinks himself properly awake again, unable to entirely suppress his smile even as he fixes his brother with a glare. ‘What _happened_ is that we drew the short straw on that patrol you signed us up for.’  
‘Didn’ sign you up,’ Jace grumbles. ‘You chose to come along.’  
‘Lucky for you I did,’ Alec points out, a little gentler than he normally would.

They’re quiet for a while, and Alec takes the opportunity to text the rest of their family, to let them know that Jace is awake and okay.  
Jace is the one to break the silence. ‘Not gonna lecture me about being reckless?’  
‘Would you listen?’ Alec says, evenly.

Jace is quiet a moment longer, then - ‘I’m trying, man,’ he whispers. ‘I just – sometimes I have to _do_ something, you know? I have to get out there, or all I’ll think about is… before.’  
Alec’s face twists in sympathy, and he lays a hand on Jace’s arm. ‘I know,’ he says. Jace meets his eyes again, and there’s a small spark of understanding between them. ‘I get it. Just… one day at a time, right?’  
Jace smiles, and if his eyes a little shinier than normal, neither of them mention it. ‘Yeah. One day at a time.’

‘Alright.’ Alec pushes himself to his feet, stretching. ‘Since you’re not dying, I’m gonna go home. But I’m warning you, you sneak out of here before you’re supposed to, you’re on kitchen duty for a month.’  
Jace groans. ‘You suck.’  
‘Shouldn’t’ve made me your boss then,’ Alec shoots back. He gives a wry smile, and Jace grins in return. Alec claps him on the shoulder. ‘Get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘Yeah, okay,’ Jace says softly, his eyes drooping closed. He’s asleep again before Alec’s even left the room.  
  


***

  
When Alec gets home – exhausted, and wanting nothing more than to collapse into bed beside his husband – he’s not altogether surprised to see the lights on, but he still shakes his head as he wanders over to the couch. ‘I told you not to wait up,’ he says by way of greeting, but he’s smiling as he leans down to kiss Magnus hello, before thudding down onto the sofa beside him with a quiet groan.

Magnus shuffles over, clearly tired as well, and rests his head on Alec’s shoulder. ‘I wanted to,’ he says simply. ‘Jace is okay, then?’  
‘Yeah. A little banged up, but he should be okay as long as we can get him to take it easy for a few days.’  
‘Hmm. And what about you? You okay?’  
‘…Yeah,’ Alec reassures him. ‘Yeah, I’m okay.’

But he’s too tired to have much of a poker face right now, and Magnus must catch his hesitation. ‘You sure?’ he asks. He keeps his tone light, leaving Alec room to insist he’s fine – but he reaches out absentmindedly, gently caressing the nape of Alec’s neck, and Alec knows he’s worried.

Alec sighs. ‘I’m fine, honestly. I just… I’m not sure how.’ Magnus turns to face him, humming in a way that means _go on,_ so Alec does. ‘Near the end of the fight, we were outnumbered. Jace was down, we were halfway surrounded…’ He lets out a breath. ‘They should have had us, Magnus.’ Magnus’ mouth tightens a little, his hold on Alec a shade more insistent, and Alec hurries on. ‘But then, they just… stopped. And I told them to get back; and they _did.’_ It all comes tumbling out now, and Alec can feel himself getting more agitated. ‘They _listened,_ they did what I said. So I told them to leave our world, to go back to their own planes – and I don’t know how it happened, but it _worked._ They just… left.’

He looks up again, and Magnus is frowning a little in thought. ‘I think…’ Magnus trails off for a minute, then sits forward, raising his hands. ‘I think I might know what happened. May I?’  
‘Of course,’ Alec says, and Magnus’ hands begin to glow pale blue as he moves them over Alec. The magic feels warm and familiar, and it’s only when it dissipates that Alec realises he closed his eyes.

He opens them again, and sees how Magnus’ expression is alert, now, and dawning with realisation. ‘Alexander,’ he says, ‘those demons you fought? They were Edomi.’  
Alec blinks. ‘What? But Edom-‘  
‘Was destroyed, yes,’ Magnus agrees. ‘But I imagine at least some of its inhabitants managed to escape as it collapsed. Much as we did.’

He settles back down next to Alec, joining hands with him, a faraway look in his eyes. ‘Dominion over Edom was always tyranny,’ he explains. ‘Its allegiance lay with whoever was strongest there. For centuries, that was my father – but when I banished him, it sundered his connection to anything outside of Limbo. Then, of course, Isabelle killed Lilith; which means that the allegiance of Edom, and all her inhabitants…’  
‘Fell to you,’ Alec realises.  
Magnus nods, smiling. ‘And then you married me, Alexander,’ he says softly.

Alec tries to process that. ‘So when I ordered them away…’  
‘They were bound to follow your commands, as my consort,’ he says, smirking a little at the turn of phrase. ‘Of course, I wouldn’t recommend testing that theory, should you run into Edomi again – with Edom gone, I’m not sure _how_ intact its power structure remains – but yes, I think that’s what happened.’

They’re quiet for a few moments. ‘Well,’ Alec says, eventually. ‘I always knew my first wedding was a political alliance. Had no idea my second one would be, too.’

They laugh; but when it dies down, Magnus’ expression turns pensive again. ‘You know, I never wanted my father’s throne,’ he murmurs. ‘But tonight, if my having it kept you safe, and brought you back to me…’ He loops his arms around Alec’s waist, closing his eyes as he rests their heads together. ‘Perhaps just this once, I am glad of my inheritance.’

It’s been a long day, and crawling into bed still sounds very appealing. But for now, Alec just hums his agreement, content to stay put a little longer.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please do let me know what you thought :)  
> [Find me on tumblr! ](https://silver-latin-and-salt.tumblr.com/)


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